Bat Boy Heading for Toronto in February

Hot off the presses of the Weekly World News, Bat Boy has been spotted in Toronto! Believe what the tabloid says because this half-boy, half-bat with the fanged teeth is swooping into town for a bloody good time!

BAT BOY THE MUSICAL is a classic love story with serious bite. Discovered in the caves of West Virginia by three teenagers, Bat Boy struggles to find a place in a world that shuns him, and discovers that love can create both miracles and madness. But things are not always as they seem.

Taken in by a family that adores and despises him, Bat Boy attempts to make the transformation into a respectable citizen. With love on the horizon an unexpected twist sets into action a chain of events that forever changes his life. Suddenly the boy with the pointy ears is to blame for all the ills suffered by the townsfolk who clamour for his destruction, setting into motion the play's tragic end.

Mix one part Edward Scissorhands with one part My Fair Lady and you get BAT BOY THE MUSICAL and a lot of "BIG LAUGHS – it's remarkable what intelligent wit can accomplish – a jaggedly imaginative mix of skewering humor and energetic glee." - The New York Times

BAT BOY THE MUSICAL has played Off-Broadway, London's West End and has received countless regional runs, gathering a devoted following and winning several awards including the Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Award in New York for Best Musical. BAT BOY THE MUSICAL is currently heading to the big screen directed by John Landis (Animal House, The Blues Brothers).

With the plot of a Hollywood B-movie, a rockin' musical score and wicked humour with a serious intellectual undercurrent, BAT BOY THE MUSICAL is sure to be a "giggling cult hit." – New Yorker

Michael McGinn (Director), is aptly prepared to take on BAT BOY THE MUSICAL after recently wrapping up The Amazing Animal Show for the Toronto Zoo, where he served as Producer, Director and Writer. A CTV special, which he also directed, was recently nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award. Other past projects include serving as Assistant Director at the Stratford Festival for Pride and Prejudice, The Merchant of Venice, and The Diary of Anne Frank.

The cast features Jay T. Schramek (Bat Boy) best known for his portrayal of Pepper in Mamma Mia! and Laura Caswell (Shelley, Bat Boy's love interest), has appeared in theatres across Canada, most recently as Lucy in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.

David Rosser (Dr. Parker) as the villainous veterinarian has numerous film, television and theatre credits under his belt including Degrassi: The Next Generation, The Relic Hunter, Due South, Total Recall, and Mamma Mia! Helping to transform Bat Boy into a useful member of society, and saving him from her husband, is Jayne Lewis (Meredith Parker). Lewis, a Dora Award nominee for her performance in Falsettos, has appeared in over 20 productions including Peter Pan and Phantom of the Opera.

Shawn Wright (Sheriff), a regular at the Stratford Festival, is looking out for the safety of the community while Jenni Burke (Reverend) has credits which include The Vagina Monologues, Godspell, PSI Factor, Undercover Brother, Blue Murder and Blues Brother 2000. Cara Leslie (Ron), Graham Coffeng (Rick), and Steven Gallagher (Ruthie) are the three teenagers who discover Bat Boy hiding in the caves. Leslie was most recently seen in Urinetown as Hope Cladwell while Coffeng has appeared in Mamma Mia!, Bathhouse Suite and Bench Marks. Gallagher has been seen in productions such as Queer as Folk, Urinetown, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. Duff MacDonald (Pan) joins the cast with credits such as Les Miserables, Godspell, Once a Thief, Earth: Final Conflict and Cinderella Man.

Hot Feat Productions Inc. is a Toronto based company dedicated to introducing and producing cutting-edge plays and musicals in Canada.

Hold Your Bat Boy,
Touch Your Bat Boy,
No More Need To Hide.
Know Your Bat Boy,
Love Your Bat Boy,
Don't Deny Your Beast Inside.

BAT BOY THE MUSICAL
Directed by Michael McGinn
Starring Jennie Burke, Laura Caswell, Graham Coffeng, Steven Gallagher, Jayne Lewis, Cara Leslie, Duff MacDonald, David Rosser, Jay T. Schramek, Shawn Wright
Set Design by Glenn Davidson • Lighting Design by Bonnie Beecher
Costume Design by Joanne Dente • Choreography by Kerry Gage
Sound Design by Keith Hardegord • Musical Director Bob Foster

Produced by Hot Feat Productions Inc. in association with Morris Berchard Associate Producer Marlene Smith • Executive Producer Donald C. Farber

Bathurst Street Theatre, 736 Bathurst Street, Toronto

Previews begin Wednesday February 9th, 2005 OPENS Tuesday, February 22nd, and runs until Saturday, April 16, 2005

EIGHT WEEKS ONLY!

Monday – Saturday @ 8pm (Saturday matinees begins February 26 @ 2pm) Previews - Students $25, Adults $40 (Friday/Saturday $45), Rush Seats $20 Regular Run – Students $25, Adults $50, (Friday/Saturday $55), Matinees $45, Rush Seats $20

To order tickets call TicketMaster at 416.872.1111 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca www.batboy.ca